When we first received the news that sophomore to be Siaosi Hala’api’api was moved from MLB to Buck (a DE/OLB combo) I knew big changes were in store for the defense. My suspicions were further heightened when I was informed from those who observe practice that the defensive line was lining up with a nose guard playing a zero technique (right over the center) and the two defensive ends were positioned head on with the offensive tackles. The coaches say the defense is multiple but make no bones about it folks, Wyoming is switching to a 3-4 defense. The varied forms of the 3-4 defense were featured exclusively in the spring game this past weekend. That is good news for a UW defense that has struggled mightily the past few seasons since switching from guess what? The 3-4 defense. Here are just a few reasons why:

– The 3-4 allows for an extra athlete to be on the field. This increases the amount of speed on the field that is much-needed in today’s modern college football where spread offenses are the norm.

– The 3-4 is less predictable than the 4-3. Wyoming will be able to line up in the multiple looks that the 3-4 offers and the opposing offenses will never be quite sure where the fourth pass rusher is coming from as opposed to the 4-3. Having this added element of unpredictability should help the defense be more aggressive which has been a stated goal of defensive coordinator Chris Tormey this spring.

– The 3-4 better suites the types of athletes Wyoming can recruit. Big defensive lineman in the 6-3 310 pound range are hard to find at a school like Wyoming as the bigger schools snap them up in mass quantities. 

What do you think? Is the switch to the 3-4 the start to fixing Wyoming’s porous defense?